George Swarbrick
Geelong
AFL career
23 games8 goals
- Debut
- R5 1952 v NTH17 May 1952
- Most recent
- GF 1953 v COL26 Sept 1953
Stats
Bio
Recruited from the dairy farms of Hawkesdale in the Western District, George Swarbrick was a towering ruckman and forward who made a lasting mark on Geelong despite a brief VFL tenure. The nephew of club great Lindsay White, he was a "gentle giant" known for his strong overhead marking and the arduous weekly rail commutes he undertook to play during the Cats' golden era. Although he missed selection for the 1952 Premiership side, Swarbrick secured his place in Geelong folklore the following season by kicking the match-winning behind in the dying seconds against North Melbourne, a score that ensured the club broke Collingwood's long-standing record for consecutive victories. He lined up in the losing 1953 Grand Final but retired from league football at just 22 years of age to return to the family farm, eventually becoming a local legend in the Hampden League.
Profile
- Born
- 11 Dec 1930
- Died
- 12 Dec 2016 (aged 86y 1d)
- Deathplace
- Warrnambool, VIC
- Height
- 193 cm
- Weight
- 89 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from the dairy farms of Hawkesdale in the Western District, George Swarbrick was a towering ruckman and forward who made a lasting mark on Geelong despite a brief VFL tenure. The nephew of club great Lindsay White, he was a "gentle giant" known for his strong overhead marking and the arduous weekly rail commutes he undertook to play during the Cats' golden era. Although he missed selection for the 1952 Premiership side, Swarbrick secured his place in Geelong folklore the following season by kicking the match-winning behind in the dying seconds against North Melbourne, a score that ensured the club broke Collingwood's long-standing record for consecutive victories. He lined up in the losing 1953 Grand Final but retired from league football at just 22 years of age to return to the family farm, eventually becoming a local legend in the Hampden League.